Sweet-Potato Fries at Mussel Bar & Grille
7262 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda, 301-215-7817; 800 N. Glebe Rd., Arlington, 703-841-2337
Sweet-potato fries are notoriously hard to keep crisp—Robert Wiedmaier’s version ($5), served with a trio of aïolis, is the exception.
Trio of Fries at Bourbon Steak
2800 Pennsylvania Ave., NW; 202-944-2026
The seasonings and dips for these skinny wonders ($7) change—the current lineup includes herbed fries with pickle ketchup and spicy fries with Creole mustard—and we’ve never met a match we didn’t love.
Eggplant Fries at Fast Gourmet
1400 W St., NW; 202-448-9217
This gas-station sandwich counter nails it with thick slabs of beer-battered eggplant ($4), which sport crispy exteriors and wonderfully creamy centers. Bonus: You can get them till 5 am Friday and Saturday.
Onion Rings at Family Meal
880 N. East St., Frederick; 301-378-2895
The spectacular heap ($5.99) that hits the table at Bryan Voltaggio’s diner tastes as good as it looks, thanks to a batter spiked with malt vinegar, a coating of cornflakes, and a side of bacon-horseradish dipping sauce.
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
